This invention relates to mountaineering equipment. More particularly, this invention relates to mountaineering equipment for technical ice climbing with still greater particularlity to ice tools for technical ice climbing.
The earliest hand held implement used in ice climbing in early European history was a steel tipped staff or alpinstock and a woodcutter's axe used to form steps in the ice. In the 19th century the hatchet was merged with the alpinstock to form the ancestor of the alpine ice axe. Contemporary climbing methods have their genesis with the development of the ice axe and knowledge of proper use of the rope.
The alpine ice axe is comprised of an elongated shaft with a metal spike at one end. The metal spike functions in the manner of the staff with the metal point acting as a third point of contact with the ice and may function as an anchor for belays. The other end of the ice axe is called the head. The head of the ice axe has two primary parts a pick and an adz. The first, a pick, may be used to cut steps and/or may act as a means of support on the ice. The pick of the ice axe is also used to prevent a climber from sliding a long distance down a snow or ice slope by a technique called self-arrest.
Self-arrest is an important safety measure used in climbing. A climber who slips on an ice or snow slope orients the body so that the feet are pointing down the slope and the climber is facing into the slope. The ice axe is held in front of the climber and with the pick end of the head buried into the snow. The pick of the axe is pressed into the snow and the resulting force of pulling the pick through the snow slows the climber's rate of descent and eventually allows the climber to stop.
The other portion of the head of an ice axe is called the adz. In the earliest ice axes the adz of the ice axe was similar to that of a hatchet blade. The blade of the ice axe was then turned perpendicular to the staff to aid in step cutting. The adz of the ice axe is used primarily in cutting steps in soft snow. In current techniques of ice climbing it is not necessary to cut steps as the climber wears crampons which consist of a plurality of metal points attached to each foot. With the advent of the use of crampons step cutting is now generally used in situations where either the climber does not have crampons or is aiding less experienced climbers.
The staff or handle of the ice axe has undergone a gradual reduction in length as progressively steeper slopes are attempted. The alpinstock was often as long as two meters when used as a staff when walking on consolidated snow. The early ice axe was approximately one meter in length and could be used as a cane on moderate slopes. In 1908 Oscar Ecknestein developed the ten point crampon and a lightweight ice axe 86 centimeters in length. The shorter length of the Eckenstein ice axe allowed use of the ice axe as a hand tool to provide an additional point of connection to the ice slope. The length of the ice axe was eventually reduced to as little as 55 centimeters and the pick curved to provide stronger attachment to the mountain.
With the shortening of the handle of the ice axe and the lack of a need for step cutting ability, the adz has been eliminated on many designs. The first of these designs were the so-called ice hammer, or north wall hammer, wherein the adz is replaced by a hammer head for use in attaching pitons to the ice or rock in mixed climbs. The ice hammer was popular primarily in Europe. From this beginning many varieties of ice tools have been invented. Current ice climbing techniques call for one tool in each hand and crampons having forward pointing points on each foot.
The simplest ice tool is a handle with a single spike resembling a heavy duty ice pick. This tool is commonly called an ice dagger. Climbers generally prefer a tool having a curved or angled pick such as is found on a short ice axe or ice hammer, however. The current ice tool thus consists of a shaft having a spike at one end, a relatively short shaft and a curved pick. The other end of the head may be either an adz or a hammer.
In climbing ice, two basic varieties of technique are used. The first technique is called the French technique wherein the climber attempts to keep his feet parallel to the surface of the ice with crampons and carries at least one ice tool for providing a third means of support. The spike of an ice axe is often used. On extremely steep ice the climber turns so that he is facing the ice and supports himself on the front points of the crampons and carries an ice tool in each hand for providing an additional point of support. In extremely steep climbing the French method thus becomes similar to the so-called German or Austrian method wherein the climber faces into the slope continually and supports his weight on the front points of the crampons. An ice tool which may be a short ice axe or ice hammer is carried in each hand. For a more complete description of the technique and terminology of technical ice climbing reference is made to Climbing Ice by Yvon Chouinard published by Sierra Club Books, copyright 1978.
A problem with current ice tools is that when the pick is embedded into the ice the handle is necessarily adjacent to the ice. The proximity of the handle to the ice makes it difficult for the climber to grip the handle of the hammer when the pick is in its most effective holding position. As a result, climbers must often place the pick at an angle to provide sufficient clearance for gripping the handle, reducing the holding strength of the pick. This problem was recognized by noted ice climber Jeff Lowe in his book The Ice Experience, published by Book Developers, Inc. .COPYRGT. 1979 wherein he stated:
"A Note from the Doctor for Terrordactyl Knuckle or Hummer Bummers PA1 "If you have been practicing what has been preached in the last few paragraphs, you will no doubt already have experienced the initial symptoms of one of these recent additions to the vocabulary of human deformity. The problem stems from the tendency to place the tools with their shafts right against the ice and consequently bash your knuckles. Once you've bruised them, you'll be likely to continue the damage until you give them a rest cure. Better than that, however, is prevention. Unfortunately, total prevention is not possible unless you feel like wearing some sort of steel handguard as you climb. But if that makes you feel too much like a knight in shining armor, there is something you can do: learn to use your tools so that the shaft ends up close to the ice but not hard against it upon completion of the swing. It's a more subtle skill than one might first imagine and one well worth perfecting."
Current designs also do not frequently provide sufficient gripping strength in snow that is not completely consolidated or in weak ice. Accordingly, a need has arisen for an ice axe having increased gripping strength and providing both clearance and maximum holding strength.